State renews Guilford’s Wiser Justice program for two years

Guilford’s Wiser Justice Program has received a two-year renewal from the state, allowing the College to continue providing college-level courses and professional credentials to incarcerated students through 2029.

The renewal follows a state review that came as budget cuts put some prison education programs at risk of not being renewed. Guilford was asked to provide the North Carolina Department of Education statistics dating to 2016, testimonials from former students and feedback from coordinators at the correctional facilities where the College offers classes.

For Ja’Maul Redmond, program director, the decision was particularly meaningful because the uncertainty surrounding the renewal was related to funding rather than the program’s outcomes.

“I was worried that we wouldn’t get extended,” Ja’Maul says. “Since it was dealing with funding and money and not our performance, it was a little worrying because we can’t control how much funding they allow for all of the different programs.”

Guilford submitted the requested materials to the state, including student success stories and feedback from correctional facility coordinators. The state initially indicated the review could take about three weeks. Guilford received word of the extension in 10 days

The extension still requires the completion of contract negotiations between Guilford and the state, a process that can take several months. But the state’s approval represents a significant vote of confidence in the program, which has operated at multiple correctional facilities since 2016.

The Wiser Justice Program, formerly known as Guilford’s Higher Education in Prison Program, is a five-semester liberal arts program that provides students with 30 transferable college credits. Those credits can be used toward further education after release or while a student remains incarcerated.

Since 2016, 240 incarcerated men and women have completed the Wiser Justice program. Students also have opportunities to earn credentials in Peer Support Specialist and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Associate.

Among those cohorts, 113 students completed Peer Support Specialist training and 61 passed the LEED exam. The program’s LEED pass rate is now 77%, with 60 of 77 students passing the exam as of June 2026.

The program’s outcomes extend beyond graduation and certification.

Micah Hayes earned his LEED Green Associate credential and used it, along with the 30 transferable college credits he earned through Guilford, to continue his education after his release. He ultimately earned a bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State University.

Lisa Taylor Watson used her LEED credential to obtain a work-release opportunity in horticulture in western North Carolina. After her release, she also became a fully certified Peer Support Specialist in 2019.

At Piedmont Correctional Institution, Jeffery Ferguson has used his LEED credentials and knowledge of sustainable practices in his maintenance and landscaping work while still incarcerated.

“There are so many success stories that I think validate what we do,” says JaMaul.

He says the program’s success depends heavily on the faculty and staff who deliver courses at the correctional facilities.

“We have a small team,” he says. “We get a lot done with that small team, and we’re looking to grow.”

The program currently operates at three North Carolina facilities: Piedmont Correctional Institution in Salisbury, Anson Correctional Institution in Anson County and Dan River Prison Farm in Caswell County.

In addition to Ja'Maul, faculty members Meredeth Summers, Rehshetta Wells ’18, Laura Sammon ’13, Lawanna Brown ’12 and Roche Wells support the program

Because Ja’Maul cannot be at every facility, he relies on the program’s instructors and the coordinators at each prison to maintain its quality. Feedback gathered during the state review was consistently positive, he says, with facility coordinators reporting that students regularly praised their Guilford instructors.

“All the coordinators had really good things to say about our team,” Ja’Maul says.

For Ja’Maul, the state’s decision to extend the program recognizes not only the value of higher education for incarcerated students, but also the work of the faculty and staff who make that education possible.

“This is important work and I’m fortunate to be working with so many hard-working people,” he says.

The renewal gives Guilford’s Wiser Justice Program another two years to build on that work — and to help more students earn college credits, professional credentials and a pathway to further education and employment.